Topic outline

  • Welcome to IDBM Challenge 2022!

    NOTE: Please check the pre-assignments from the "Pre-assignments" page (in the menu).

    IDBM Challenge is the introductory course for the IDBM programme. The students acquire the skills to conceptualize, develop, and introduce ethically and commercially sustainable approaches to complex societal challenges. The course involves rigorous reflections from individual, team, and collective perspectives.

    Intended learning outcomes:
    • identify and analyze the dynamics between the individual, the team, and the community in the context of interdisciplinary, creative problem solving
    • identify and analyze the reasoning and practice of design-driven ways to solving ill-defined problems
    • as a team, apply the problem-solving methods to real-life societal and business challenges
    • as a team, create a solution to the challenge
    • individually and collectively reflect the design outcomes and the learning progress


    Attendance policy for the course: This is a teamwork program and teamwork course, and teamwork is not possible without team members. Each session gives attendance points (0,5pt / half day) that are altogether worth 9% of the course grade. We will allow absence from four half day sessions (20% of all). However, certain sessions are mandatory: 1) introduction, 2) event planning, 3) event rehearsal and 4) event (see the schedule). Please contact course administration (Ville) immediately if there are issues with attendance.

    The course will be taught in-person! However, if negotiated in advance, certain mentored team sessions (but not all!) can be organized in virtual format for your team (e.g., if your team wants to work virtually during some session).


    **

    CHECK THE UPDATES FOR THIS MYCOURSES SITE BELOW

    19.11.2022

    • Evaluation is done and grades uploaded to sisu!

    10.10.2022

    • Draft pitch points added

    27.9.2022

    23.9.2022

    • Draft pitch scheduler opened (check "week 5")

    16.9.2022

    • Essay evaluations are in mycourses; friday materials updated

    12.9.2022

    • Monday materials updated

    9.9.2022

    • Industry Project slides updated

    7.9.2022

    • Wednesday materials added

    5.9.2022

    • Monday materials added

    19.8.2022

    • Schedule published! See the subpages of individual weeks for more details.

    6.8.2022

    • Mycourses site opened. Please visit this page often as we will constantly add more material. Major updates are also announced through emails to the ones who have enrolled to the course. So, please enroll!


  • Pre-assignments

    Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

  • Week 1: Introduction and interdisciplinary teamwork

    Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

    Monday 5.9.: Introduction and challenge brief (9-12)

    The session will introduce the course and the design challenge. Please note that your participation in this session is essential for ensuring your place in the course!

    Facilitators: Dr. Ville Eloranta, Dr. Niina Nurmi (Aalto DIEM), Apurva Ganoo, and Marco Steinberg (Snowcone and Haystack, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

    • Pre-reading (before this session!): Micheli, P., Wilner, S. J., Bhatti, S. H., Mura, M., & Beverland, M. B. (2019). Doing design thinking: Conceptual review, synthesis, and research agenda. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 36(2), 124-148.
    • For the whole week, mandatory reading: Irwin, T. (2015). Transition design: A proposal for a new area of design practice, study, and research. Design and Culture, 7(2), 229-246.


    **

    Wednesday 7.9.: Interdisciplinary teamwork in the field of (radical) creativity (14-17)

    Interdisciplinary teamwork will be launched (including team formation).

    Facilitators: Dr. Ville Eloranta, Apurva Ganoo, and Prof. Niina Nurmi (virtually)


    **


    Friday 9.9.: Continuing building teams; exploring our ideas (14-17)

    We continue from Wednesday and also see collectively where we are in our Challenge ideation process right now! There will also be an industry project info session.

    Facilitators: Dr. Ville Eloranta and Apurva Ganoo


    ***

    NOTE 7.9.: PDF link for the De Déa Roglio & Light paper added. Normally we cannot add PDF links due to copyright reasons. Here is an instruction video on how to get articles directly from google scholar!

    Can't access academic articles? Here is a video help :) It was created for another course but the same logic works of course in this course. NOTE: Nowadays the "sfx@aalto" link is called "Full view"


  • Week 2: Design thinking for transitions

    Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

    Monday 12.9.: Design thinking iteration round I (9-12)

    We will cover the fundamentals of design thinking approaches (note: in plural!), and take the first iteration round, following IDEO's version of the Design Thinking process. However, you are also free to experiment with your own process approaches, if you want!

    Facilitators: Dr. Ville Eloranta and Apurva Ganoo


    **

    Wednesday 14.9.: "Futures Design – Gaining advantage through human insight and foresight" – Visit to Deloitte (14-17)

    Deloitte will host this session on the topic of Futures Design!

    Office location: Salmisaarenaukio 2, 00180 Helsinki


    **


    Monday 16.9.: Design thinking iteration round II (14-17)

    We will take the second iteration round for design thinking. We will also look into empirical fieldwork.

    Facilitators: Dr. Ville Eloranta and Apurva Ganoo


  • Week 3: Advancing our epistemic fluency

    Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

    Monday 19.9.: Theory of change & prototyping in transition design (9-12)

    We will take a temporal perspective to design thinking, and abstract it to community (and social) level. We will also explore the (somewhat distinctive) role of prototyping in transition design.

    Facilitators: Dr. Ville Eloranta and Apurva Ganoo

    • Readings for the whole week: 1) McLaughlan, R., & Lodge, J. M. (2019). Facilitating epistemic fluency through design thinking: a strategy for the broader application of studio pedagogy within higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 24(1), 81-97. and 2) Zidulka, A., & Kajzer Mitchell, I. (2018). Creativity or cooptation? Thinking beyond instrumentalism when teaching design thinking. Journal of Management Education, 42(6), 749-760
    • DL 19.9. Reflection essay 2
    • Apurva's slides
    • Ville's slides
    • Theory of change template
    • Klubi's Slides on Event Planning & Execution


    Side Note: If you would like to learn more about prototyping and the types of prototyping capabilities available at Aalto Design Factory(ADF), Klaus Castrén has kindly agreed to chat/show you around the spaces. ADF has a lot of tools, equipment and machinery that can come in handy during your prototyping phases and they also have a lot of experts you could spar with regarding your ideas. You can reach out to Klaus directly at: klaus.e.castren@aalto.fi or +358 50 410 3664.

    **

    Wednesday 21.9.: Arts Immersion (14-17)

    We will take a different perspective to the Challenge – rehearsing our epistemic fluency!

    Facilitator: Paula Rusokallio

    Some photos from the session: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bbr8irwknvmdaqs/AAACwagAyQgAjYsn0cHQivI4a?dl=0 

    **

    Friday 23.9.: Kiuas day (14-17) (Startup Sauna, Betonimiehenkuja 3D, 02150 Espoo)

    Message from Kiuas: "This session will cover an introduction of Kiuas and what is our contribution to the startup ecosystem in Finland. More broadly we also discuss how to get started on creating your startup business. By taking into account important early stage processes, for example, setting up operations, implementing good idea validation strategies, thinking of the end user from the onset and how to step into the founder mindset." Lastly, while all this serves as good theoretical information, we have invited one of our alumni Feiya Long, CEO and founder of Moi Panda. Moi Panda is a tech startup which aims to help children seize the initiative in becoming global digital citizens. Join us as she walks us through their story of founding a startup, validating and keeping the end user in mind from the beginning." 

    See session details below:

    Location: Startup Sauna, Betonimiehenkuja 3D, 02150 Espoo 

    14:15 - Welcome and introduction

    14:30 - Kiuas way of building: How to get started. 

    15:00 - Alumni Story: Moi Panda 

    For more information, you can contact Kiuas Head of Program Magret@kiuas.com.


  • Week 4: Developing our ideas and bringing them to the stage

    Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

    Monday 26.9.: Communicating your ideas in efficient and actionable way (9-12)

    We will rehearse our communications and presenting skills, with a special emphasis on delivering actionable insights without sacrificing the beauty of complex ideas!

    Facilitators: Dr. Ville Eloranta, Apurva Ganoo, Tuukka Ylälahti and Paul Savage.

    **

    Wednesday 28.9.: Revisiting the noninstrumentality; time for teamwork (14-17)

    We will first revisit our last week's endeavor to the noninstrumental side of design thinking. Then, there is time for mentored teamwork. 

    Facilitator: Paula Rusokallio, Dr. Ville Eloranta, and Apurva Ganoo


    **

    Friday 30.9.: Mentored teamwork (14-17)

    Teamwork in class, mentoring available.


  • Week 5: The looming need of convergence?

    Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

    Monday 3.10.: Event planning, mentored teamwork (9-12)

    We will first focus on the final event design and practicalities. Then, there is time for mentored teamwork.

    Facilitators: Apurva Ganoo, Dr. Ville Eloranta, and IDBM Klubi.

    • DL 3.10. Reflection essay 3


    **

    Wednesday 5.10.: Time for teamwork (14-17)

    No facilitated program. The classroom is available for design work. You can also book time for mentoring (message in beforehand: ville.eloranta@aalto.fi)

    ***

    Friday 7.10.: Time for teamwork (14-17)

    No facilitated program. The classroom is available for design work. You can also book time for mentoring (message in beforehand: ville.eloranta@aalto.fi)

    ***


    NOTE, for Thursday or Friday: Book a 15min slot for your team (draft pitch)!  VENUE FOR PITCHES: BIZ/U213

    The teams will present their draft presentation to the teaching team during a scheduled 15min slot (the slots will be available from Wednesday to Friday). Use the scheduler below:


  • Week 6: Final event (and preparations)

    Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

    Monday 10.10.: Event rehearsals (9-12)


    **

    Monday 12.10.: Final event (the whole day)


  • Week 7: Evaluation week (final reflections)

    Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

    Evaluation week. No teaching events.

    • Reading by the end of the course: Elsbach, K. D., & Stigliani, I. (2018). Design thinking and organizational culture: A review and framework for future research. Journal of Management, 44(6), 2274-2306.
    • DL 23.10.: Team reflection essay
    • DL 23.10.: Individual reflection essay retake (any 1 from the three)


  • All readings on one page

    Not available unless: You are a(n) Student

    Academic articles and book chapters

    • Micheli, P., Wilner, S. J., Bhatti, S. H., Mura, M., & Beverland, M. B. (2019). Doing design thinking: Conceptual review, synthesis, and research agenda. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 36(2), 124-148.
    • Irwin, T. (2015). Transition design: A proposal for a new area of design practice, study, and research. Design and Culture, 7(2), 229-246.
    • Grant, A. M. (2014). Give and take: Why helping others drives our success. Penguin. (Chapter 1, pages 1-26). (open pdf)
    • De Déa Roglio, K., & Light, G. (2009). Executive MBA programs: The development of the reflective executive. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 8(2), 156-173. (ONLY PAGES 156-163)
    • Dorst, K. (2011). The core of ‘design thinking’ and its application. Design studies, 32(6), 521-532.
    • Dunne, A and Fiona, R. (2013). Speculative everything: design, fiction, and social dreaming, MIT press. (Chapter 1: Beyond Radical Design (open pdf)
    • McLaughlan, R., & Lodge, J. M. (2019). Facilitating epistemic fluency through design thinking: a strategy for the broader application of studio pedagogy within higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 24(1), 81-97.
    • Zidulka, A., & Kajzer Mitchell, I. (2018). Creativity or cooptation? Thinking beyond instrumentalism when teaching design thinking. Journal of Management Education, 42(6), 749-760
    • Elsbach, K. D., & Stigliani, I. (2018). Design thinking and organizational culture: A review and framework for future research. Journal of Management, 44(6), 2274-2306.

  • Assignments